Achebe wasn’t my enemy, says Soyinka

Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday dismissed the supposedly sour relationship between him and the late world acclaimed novelist, Professor Chinua Achebe, saying the talk of an unhealthy rivalry between them was cooked up.

He blamed ‘camp followers’ for the misrepresentation of the issue between him and the late Achebe although he admitted that “it would be stupid to claim that relationship” between them “was all constantly harmonious.”

Soyinka, in an interview with Sahara Reporters ahead of Achebe’s burial, later this week, also spoke on Achebe’s place in African literature, his controversial memoirs on the Nigerian Civil War, There was a country and alleged genocide during the war.

On the relationship between him and Achebe, he said: “At this stage in our lives, the surviving have a duty to smash the mouths of liars to begin with, then move to explain to those who have genuinely misread, who have failed to place incidents in their true perspective, or who simply forget that life is sometimes strange – rich but strange, and inundated with flux.

“My first comment is that outsiders to literary life should be more humble and modest. They should begin by accepting that they were strangers to the ferment of the earlier sixties and seventies. It would be stupid to claim that it was all constantly harmonious, but outsiders should at least learn some humility and learn to deal with facts. Where, in any corner of the globe, do you find perfect models of creative harmony, completely devoid of friction?

“We all have our individual artistic temperaments as well as partisanships in creative directions. And we have strong opinions on the merits of the products of our occupation. But – “rivalry for domination,” to quote you – healthy or unhealthy? Now that is something that has been cooked up, ironically, by camp followers, the most recent of which is an ignoble character who was so desperate to prove the existence of such a thing that he even tried to rope JP’s wife into it, citing her as source for something I never uttered in my entire existence.”

He dismissed those who speak of such as “empty, notoriety-hungry hangers-on and upstarts” who are in search of relevance. He said for him J.P. Clark, the late Achebe and other writers, “I believe we were all too busy and self-centred – that is, focused on our individual creative grooves – to think ‘dominance’!

“Writers are human. I shudder to think how I must sometimes appear to others. JP (John Pepper Clark) remains as irrepressible, contumacious and irascible as he was during that creative ferment of the early sixties. Christopher was ebullient. Chinua mostly hid himself away in Lagos, intervening robustly in MBARI affairs with deceptive disinclination. Perception of Chinua, JP and I as ‘personal enemies’?

“The word “enemy” is strong and wrong. The Civil War split up a close-knit literary coterie, of which “the quartet” formed a self-conscious core. That war engendered a number of misapprehensions. Choices were made, some regrettable, and even thus admitted by those who made them.”

Reacting to widely held insinuations that the award of the Nobel Prize for Literature to him in 1986 led to a bitter chasm between the duo he said, “Well then, this prospect that “my 1986 Nobel Prize in literature poisoned my personal relationship with a supposedly resentful Achebe” – I think I shouldn’t dodge that either. Even if that was true – which I do not accept – it surely has dissipated over time.

“Nigerians need to be purged of a certain kind of arrogance of expectations, of demand, of self-attribution, of a spurious sense and assertion of entitlement. It goes beyond art and literature. It covers all aspects of interaction with others. Wherever you witness a case of ‘It’s MINE, and no other’s’, ‘it’s OURS, not theirs’, at various levels of vicarious ownership, such aggressive voices, ninety percent of the time, are bound to be Nigerians. This is a syndrome I have had cause to confront defensively with hundreds of Africans and non-Africans. It is what plagues Nigeria at the moment – it’s MY/OUR turn to rule, and if I/WE cannot, we shall lay waste the terrain. Truth is, predictably, part of the collateral damage on that terrain.

“Yes, these are the ones who, to co-opt your phrasing, “diminished (and still diminish) Chinua’s image”. In the main, they are, ironically, his assiduous – but basically opportunistic – hagiographers – especially of a clannish, cabalistic temperament. Chinua – we have to be frank here – also did not help matters. He did make one rather unfortunate statement that brought down the hornet’s nest on his head, something like: “The fact that Wole Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize does not make him the Asiwaju (Leader) of African literature”. I forget now what provoked that statement. Certainly it could not be traced to any such pretensions on my part. I only recollect that it was in the heat of some controversy – on a national issue, I think.”

He, however, agreed that disagreement among writers and artists was nothing new. According to Soyinka, disagreements among, “musicians, scientists, even architects and scientific innovators etc. are notorious. They are usually short-lived – though some have been known to last a life-time. This particular episode was at least 20 years ago. Unfortunately some of Chinua’s cohorts decided that they had a mission to prosecute a matter regarding which they lacked any vestige of understanding or competence or indeed any real interest. It is, however, a life crutch for them and they cannot let go.”

On Achebe and the Nobel controversy he called on those fanning the embers to end it now asking, “What they are doing now – and I urge them to end it shame-facedly – is to confine Chinua’s achievement space into a bunker over which hangs an unlit lamp labelled “Nobel”. Is this what the literary enterprise is about? Was it the Nobel that spurred a young writer, stung by Eurocentric portrayal of African reality, to put pen to paper and produce Things Fall Apart? This conduct is gross disservice to Chinua Achebe and disrespectful of the life-engrossing occupation known as literature. How did creative valuation descend to such banality? Do these people know what they’re doing – they are inscribing Chinua’s epitaph in the negative mode of thwarted expectations. I find that disgusting.

“It is high time these illiterates were openly instructed that Achebe and Soyinka inhabit different literary planets, each in its own orbit. If you really seek to encounter – and dialogue with – Chinua Achebe in his rightful orbit, then move out of the Nigerian entrapment. Chinua is entitled to better than being escorted to his grave with that monotonous, hypocritical aria of deprivation’s lament, orchestrated by those who, as we say in my part of the world, “dye their mourning weeds a deeper indigo than those of the bereaved”. He deserves his peace. Me too! And right now, not posthumously.”

On Achebe’s place in world literature and his description as father of African literature, Soyinka said: “Chinua’s place in the canon of world literature? Wherever the art of the story-teller is celebrated, definitely assured.

“Chinua himself repudiated such a tag (father of African literature)- he did study literature after all, bagged a degree in the subject. So, it is a tag of either literary ignorance or “momentary exuberance” – ala [Nadine] Gordimer – to which we are all sometimes prone.”

On There Was a Country, Achebe’s last work, Soyinka said it is a book he wished the deceased “had never written-that is, not in the way it was. There are statements in that work that I wish he had never made.”

On allegations of genocide during the war against the Federal Government, Soyinka said: “The reading of most Igbo over what happened before the Civil War was indeed accurate – yes, there was only one word for it – genocide. Once the war began, however, atrocities were committed by both sides, and the records are clear on that. The Igbo got the worst of it, however. That fact is indisputable. The Asaba massacre is well documented, name by victim name, and General Gowon visited personally to apologise to the leaders. The Igbo must remember, however, that they were not militarily prepared for that war. I told Ojukwu this, point blank, when I visited Biafra. Sam Aluko also revealed that he did. A number of leaders outside Biafra warned the leadership of this plain fact. Bluff is no substitute for bullets.”

You wil live long. You are one out of the very few Yorubas that i respect so much for ur courage of conviction on any sensitive issue whenever it comes up. I ve always recommended you to the likes of Femi Fani Kayode(FFK), Kola Amodu etc so they can learn how to talk and model themselves b4 others

Umunna

Wole Soyinka the indefatigable. We need to read your interviews on burning issues at least once a fortnight. You are truly great.

Olaitan

Trust you,our amiable prof!I respect your comments,intelligence and unrivalled craftmanship.You are always detribalised and conscious of other ppl’s feeling not an arrogant egg head whose main preoccupied trade was an ethnic glorification.Remember the Swamp Dweller?I admire ur imagination! No one else could deserved the Nobel Prize Winning.Thanks.

Olaitan

Trust you,our amiable prof!I respect your comments,intelligence and unrivalled craftmanship.You are always detribalised and conscious of other ppl’s feeling not an arrogant egg head whose main preoccupied trade was an ethnic glorification.Remember the Swamp Dweller?I admire ur imagination! No one else could have deserved the Nobel Prize Winning.Thanks.

concerned enuguman

I think Prof Soyinka should allow their works speak for them. Posterity will in due course give honour to whom it is due. Achebe and Soyinka are literary giants. I regard Soyinka as one of d greatest teller of short stories and dramatist. Achebe to my mind is d greatest story teller of African of lifestyle and history-not to be confused with that great story teller and historian Prof Ade Ajayi. They are surely some of d fathers of African history and literature. Surprise that am linking story telling with literature? May God bless u.

i like soyinka for his talent&maturity.i like achebe for his choice of simple words.but achebe made no sense by praising d jankara warlord(ojukwu) in ‘THERE WAS A COUNTRY’.

johnkennedy

Barrister, its a shame you are not familiar with your history. Never you attack Ojukwu ok

Nwanna

Nice minds. No one group or tribe or race even continent can appropriate Achebe or Soyinka as theirs. Of course, they hailed from a village, a community. Indeed, success have many relatives while failure is an orphan!!

Ify

Olaitan dnt be a fool, wuld u put urself in achebe’s shoes and nt say thngs as they were? Infact, for saying wat u said, u ve rili shwn dat given the opportunity, wuld be the most tribalistic man to exist shwing the notoriety of seeking vain relevance

Chike

When will all these educated people of the former Southern protectorate, know that since the time that they had eastern and western regions, they found it difficult to attain the presidency, but when they worked together, Abiola emerged, when they worked together again in 1999, President Obasanjo emerged, when they worked together again in 2011, President Jonathan emerged, we have the way to rule Nigeria but we have to WORK TOGETHER, enough of the tribalism, let’s work together and achieve more, the hand writing is on the wall, let President Jonathan have his second term, South West will be better for it, what Fashola is doing in Lagos, President Jonathan is not against it, he supports it, special status for Lagos will pass with support from outside ACN, only ACN cannot pass it, we need to work together, nobody is fighting the south west, we need your support, don’t split the south, history shows that it won’t benefit the south west by doing so. THINK!!!

Realist

@ejike I love ur humble and sincere submission. That is the agenda Jonathan should pursue instead relying on power of incubency and old tactics.

Ahmed Yusuf

@Chike. They have never worked together. On June 12 1993, 3 out of 4 SE states voted for Tofa/Sylvester Ugoh. The SW voted for Abiola/Kingibe. Each section for his own. Abiola was favoued by SW while SE favoured Tofa because their man was VP to Tofa

salawu lateef Cosby

I love the two of them so much,they both bestrode african literature space like a collosus,kudos dear prof wole soyinka,we will surely miss achebe too.

I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY SOME SOUTH AFRICAN SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS TO BRING THEM THINGS FALL APART (CHINUA ACHEBE) AND THE LION AND THE JEWEL (WOLE SOYINKA) NOVELS BECAUSE THESE BOOKS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED TO THEM BY THEIR AUTHORITIES.

NOW MY QUESTION IS, APART FROM THE FACT THAT THESE TWO MEN ARE LITERATES AND WELL READ, I STILL WONDER WHAT MADE THEM SO GREAT NOT CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY WRITERS NIGERIA HAS EVER PRODUCED.

Ally

Final! Ibos that claim Achebe is the father of African literature, you have heard from the master himself!

Coco-Bassey,Esu

i wish to b another or more than soyinka who will comment on national issue without sentiment of ours,we,i,my.this is wat is killing nd dividing us

AKINYEMI OLUBUNMI

Much is said of d two literary icons less is known about their lesson mirrored to d nation.Both stand for nationalism and patriotism without predijuice.One is dead but his work outlive him the living still live in his mastery of his trade.

AKINYEMI OLUBUNMI

Much is said of d two literary icons less is known about their lesson mirrored to d nation.Both stand for nationalism and patriotism without prejudice.One is dead but his work outlive him the living still live in his mastery of his trade.

obinnna75

Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Christopher Okigbo, Chinua Achebe. God; to have listened in on their conversations.

mojeedbaba

The are both great Nigerians, no matter what anybody think. Thanks Prof. for shedding more light on the issue.

Obeni

Thr duo make us proud and an indespensible component of the global village despite the thin divides from where they come from. They are everything our political leaders are not

Obeni

All hail the prof. Achebe’s lamp keeps burning too.

ekunDAYO ADENIRAN

Of all the things in which the wise excel, nature’s true masterpiece is writing-and speking well. Our own WS, a WordSmith unlike any other and our equally peerless Chinua Achebe( CA) the master of the well-dressed words will forever remain legends of all seasons for us all great Nigerians. They, in concert with the two other legs in the unforgetable quartet, J.P. Clark and Christopher Okigbo have made Nigeria and Africa proud by embroidering the enchanting tapestry of global literature with diverse orbits of inimitable style that have given the world a perfect picture of infinite possibilities that set the so called Heart of Darkness aglow with magic moments of laughter and greatness. Chinua Achebe, the master of the art of story-teller and perhaps the greatest weaver of tales hurt a lot of his Yoruba admirers through the unprovoked diatribe he poured on the entire tribe, this truly will never dimiinish his iconic status as one of our finest amongst our pantheon of heroes. This writer nearly lost his precious life then on the bloom as 10 year old in 1966, when he was naive enough to gleefully open he door of the menacing Federal troops who invaded our home in Lagos on the grounds that we were happily serving as our brother’s keepers by housing some good Igbo family in our modest home in Lagos. We, Yorubas, were considered traitors by the invading Federal Governement Force! But thank goodness sweet reasonableness prevailed, and the amazingly wonderful Nigerian soldiers mercifully recognised the bond of fellowship which has continued to bind the nation as one. The bond which the war that was everything but civil held out the knife to cut asunder, what God has joined together. There’s NO NORTH.NO SOUTH. NO EAST.NO WEST. ONLY ONE NIGERIA. THE MOMENT WE ALL REALISE THAT THE BETTER IT WILL BE FOR US AS A NATION TO MOVE FORWARD AND CONQUER THE WORLD. Better to forgive and forget than to remember and resent. GOD BLESS NIGERIA! Let’s Cease the Fire, Please!

Chika

I enjoyed WS’ interview but I enjoyed your write-up more, you will live long!